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WOMEN'S AUXILIARY 

TO THE 

AMERICAN SCENIC and HISTORIC 
PRESERVATION SOCIETY 



Fi Historic Sketch 

— — of — — 

Certain Defenses 
or DeiD York City 

durincf the Ular of 
1812 -1815 



WITH 

AIN ACCOUNT OF 

THE UNVEILING OF A TABLET ERECTED 

BY THE AUXILIARY 



WOMEN'S Auxiliary 

TO THE 

American Scenic and Historic 



Preservation Society 



A HrSTORIC SKETCH 



OF 



Certain Defenses of New York City 

during the War of 1812-1815 



WITH 



* » ^ 



AN ACCOUNT OF 

THE UNVEILING OF A TABLET ERECTED 

BY THE AUXILIARY 



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A HISTORIC SKETCH 

OF 

Certain Defenses of New York City 
during the War of 1812-1815 



Our second war with Great Britain, which 
decided forever the independence of the 
United States, greatly affected the citizens of 
New York. In spite of the fact that no en- 
gagement was fought around that town, with 
pick-axe, shovel and spade, they hastened to 
the defense of the city and showed themselves 
full of patriotic zeal and no unworthy de- 
scendants of their Revolutionary fathers. 

Washington, the seat of the Government, 
the center of interest, had been invaded 
(August, 1814,) by the enemy. President 
Madison and his Cabinet had fled. The 
White House and Capitol were in flames and 
the situation was, indeed, critical. To add to 
the alarm and consternation a British fleet 
appeared off Sandy Hook and it seemed as if 



Ne^v York was to share the fate of Washing- 
ton. 

The invasion of the British was apprehend- 
ed from four points: first, by way of Sandy 
Hook ; second, troops landing on the rear of 
Long Island and crossing to Brooklyn ; third, 
by a land and naval force down the Sound 
occupying Brooklyn Heights, commanding 
the City and Governor's Island ; fourth, the 
attack most feared was from Ward's Island 
to Harlem Heights. 

An address was issued by the Committee, 
Nicholas Fish, Chairman, to the citizens of 
New York exempt from military duty. It 
said in part : 

"Rally around the standard of your coun- 
try and sooner let us die in the last ditch than 
tamelv and cowardly surrender this deligrht- 
ful city into the hands of an invading foe. 
Discard for a while party bickerings which 
disturb the social harmony which ought to 
exist at this momentous crisis. Those who 
will not defend their countrv in times of dan- 
ger like the present, in their veins does not 
run one drop of American blood, nor does 



one American sentiment inhabit their 
breasts. Upon such men we do not call. 

"We do invite every American exempt 
from military duty to sign the roll that will 
be prepared for the purpose of forming a 
company of artillery for defense of his city. 

"All editors who are favorable will insert 
this twice." 

In response to this call in four days 3,000 
citizens were at work. Even newspapers sus- 
pended publication for a few days. 

Among the prominent men serving on this 
Committee were Mayor DeWitt Clinton, 
Nicholas Fish and Henry Rutgers of wide 
experience gained in the Revolutionary War. 
This Commutee of Defense met daily at City 
Hall. 

Various societies responded. The Free 
Masons worked on the defenses in Brooklyn, 
gathering at sunrise in front of City Hall. 
In August the weather was so warm that 
manv asked to work bv the full moon and the 
"Moonrise Workers" were organized. 

Thirty-eight years before in the same 
month from these very Heights Washington 



had withdrawn his armv from under the eves 
of the British, and had brought it in safety 
across the East River to New York; and 
the "Moonrise Workers" in August, 1814, 
were as eager to defend their Hberties and 
responded to the call with the same patriotic 
spirit as their predecessors had shown. Six 
hundred strong they w^orked, succeeded by 
the "Sunrise Workers." The Masons gave 
a day, assembling in front of City Hall, which 
was the rallying place. Grand Master De- 
Witt Clinton led 1,000 men to Brooklyn. A 
very quaint song was written at this time by 
an elderly gentleman of the order who had 
two sons in the War and was sung while din- 
ner was served, as follow^s : 

"Hail ! children of light whom the charities 
send. 

Where the bloodhounds of Britain are short- 
ly expected. 

Who your country, your wives, your firesides 
to defend. 

On the summit of Brooklyn have ramparts 
erected. 

Firm and true to the trade, 

Continue yom* aid, 



'Till the Topstone with shouting triumphant 

is laid. 
The Free and Accepted will never despair, 
Led on by their worthy Grand Master and 

Mavor. 
For me, wiiose dismissal must shortly arrive, 
To Heaven I prefer this my fervent petition, 
May I never America's freedom survive, 
Nor behold her disgraced by a shameful sub- 
mission, 
And though righteously steeled, if at last she 

must yield, 
May my sons do their duty and die in the 

field! 
But the Free and Accepted will never despair 
Led on by their worthy Grand Master and 
Mavor."* 

About this time Fitz Greene Halleck com- 
posed a poem on Iron Greys to be sung to 
the tune of "Adams and Liberty," published 
in the New York Gazette. 

Besides the Masons, there were the Master 
Butchers, who carried a large flag with an 
ox prepared for slaughter and the words. 



*From R. C. Guernsey's " History of New York and Vicinity in 1812." 



"Skin me well and dress me neat and send 
me on board the Federal fleet." 

The Sons of Erin, the Marine Society, 
Tammany Society, Society of Tallow Chand- 
lers, Hamilton Society and Columbia Stu- 
dents all helped. (The latter on the fortifi- 
cations at 123rd Street.) 

One of the popular songs of this date was 
by the author of "The Old Oaken Bucket." 
"Pick-axe. shovel and spade. 
Crowbar, hoe and barrow, 
Better not invade, 

Yankees have the marrow." 

Historians tell us at this time, that Harlem 
Heights, which was six miles out of the City, 
was full of soldiers and fortifications. A boat 
was run daily to take the volunteer workmen 
to the defenses built from the Hudson to the 
Harlem River. This line of defense was 
chosen because the distance here was short, 
and money and men were not at command. 
Beside Block-houses and Stone Towers there 
were Barrier Gates. 

* There is no better authority on the loca- 



*Thank8 are due Mr. Edward Hagaman Hall for this report. 



tion of the landmarks of Manhattan Island 
at the time of the War of 1812 than John 
Randel, Jr., the Civil Engineer, who made 
the "Commissioners Map" for laying- out the 
City Plan above Houston Street. Randel 
says : 

During the War of 1812, the Barrier Gate 
at McGowan's Pass was connected with the 
Barrier Gate at Manhattanville Pass by the 
following military defenses, which were ex- 
tended across the Island from Harlem River 
to Hudson River, to wit: 

1. Fortifications on Benson's Point near 
ord Avenue and 106th Street; 

2. Fort Clinton, between lOGth Street 
and 107th Street and about 170 yards east of 
nth Avenue ; 

8. Fort Fish, between 105th and lOfith 
Streets and about 10 yards east of 0th 
Avenue ; 

4. A stone tower, about 14 yards south 
of 109th Street and 7 yards west of 7th 
Avenue ; 

5. A stone tower between 113th and 
114th Streets, between 9th and 10th 
Avenues ; 



6. A stone tower on the south side of 
121st Street and al)Out 110 yards east of 10th 
Avenue ; 

7. A stone tower on the south side of 
123rd Street, about 54 yards east of 10th 
Avenue ; 

8. Fort Haight, at Manhattanville Pass, 
about 20 yards north of 124th Street and 
120 yards east of 11th Avenue. 

The foregoing is quoted verbatim, from 
a historical sketch by him to be found in 
Valentine's Manual for 1864. It is repeated 
in the "Papers of Daniel D. Tompkins," 
Governor and Commander-in-Chief during 
the War of 1812, published by the State of 
New York. 

The Barrier Gate at McGowan's Pass was 
at 107th Street about 116 yards east of 6th 
Avenue. (Same authority). 

The Barrier Gate at Manhattanville Pass 
was at 123rd Street 33 yards west of 11th 
Avenue. (Same authority). 

Columbia students, 100 strong, assisted in 
these fortifications, marching in a body from 
the Campus, then at College Place, to 123rd 



Street, little thinking that in the future their 
OAvn college buildings would be in the im- 
mediate vicinity of this Fort. Again, this 
is Revolutionary ground. To the west the 
heroic General Knowlton fell in the battle 
of Harlem Heights. Some authorities say 
this line of fortifications was originally built 
by the British, then they gradually disap- 
peared until the call of DeWitt Clinton to 
help in 1812, when they were restored. 

In February, 1815, the news that peace 
was declared with Great Britain reached this 
country. New York was overjoyed, church 
bells were rung, cannon fired and Sunday 
papers of half sheets were issued. For many 
years the old line of fortifications at Harlem 
Heights have been of interest to visitors. One 
by one the defenses have disappeared, but 
thanks to the protection of Central and 
Morningside Parks, two are left in a good 
state of preservation, the one in Central Park 
and 110th Street and one at 123rd Street 
and Amsterdam Avenue. When the grading 
of 123rd Street was attempted, through the 
personal attention of Hon. John D. Crim- 



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mills, then Park Commissioner, and F. S. 
Hamlin, then Deputy Commissioner of Pub- 
lic Works, this site was saved. The street 
had to be graded and the rock closely drilled 
without disturbing the old masonry. The 
citizens at the tim.e these walls were built in 
1812 had no cement and used shell-lime, 
which is still to be seen and show^s its dura- 
bility. 

These places have been waiting 90 years 
to be recognized. In June, 1903, there were 
signs of these fortifications crumbling away. 
Through one of the members of the Women's 
Auxiliary to the American Scenic and His- 
toric Preservation Society, Park Commis- 
sioner Wilcox'<5 attention was called to the 
matter, he immediately responded, restoring 
the Tower and so called Block House in 
Central Park. On Saturday, June 4th, 1904, 
a suitable tablet was presented to the City 
by the Women's Auxiliary to the American 
Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, 
with appropriate exercises. 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE UNVEILING 
OF THE TABLET. 



The following extract from the Tribune 
of June 7, 1904, may be of interest. In de- 
scribing the ceremonies of unveiling the tab- 
let on the remains of the stone tower at 
123rcl Street, it says, first describing the tab- 
let : 

This tablet marks the remains of 
a stone tower, a part of a line of for- 
tifications extending from the Hud- 
son to the Harlem River, built for 
the defense of New York by its pa- 
triotic citizens during the War of 
1812-1815. 

Erected by the 

Women's Auxiliary to the American Scenic 

and Historic Preservation Society, 

A. D., 1904. 

Part of three walls of this tower still re- 
main, crowning a bluff at the north end of the 
park, and inside the inclosure thus formed 
the ceremonies took place, and chairs were 
set for the visitors. The addresses were de- 






livered from the east wall, and on the west 
w^all were gathered the Alexander Hamilton 
Club, of the City History Club, through 
the courtesy of Mrs. Robert Abbe, all little 
eirls in w^hite dresses, with American flags, 
which they waved as they sang "The Star 
Spangled Banner" and "The Song of New 
York." The tablet is affixed to the north 
wall, and was covered with a flag having six- 
teen stars. This facsimile of the flag used 
during the War of 1812 was lent for the oc- 
casion by Mrs. Richard Henry Greene. 

The unveiling ceremonies opened with 
"Hail Columbia" by a brass band, and 
the program noted that this air was 
originally called "General Washington's 
March," having been first played at his 
inauguration. The prayer of dedication was 
offered by the Rev. Robert Mackenzie, 
pastor of the Rutgers Church, of which 
Henry Rutgers, a member of the Commit- 
tee of Defense in the War of 1812, was 
one of the founders. Addresses were given 
by the Rev. Merle St. Croix Wright and 
Dean Kirchwey, of Columbia University Law 



School, Columbia students having assisted in 
building the Harlem Heights fortification. 
Also Mr. Henry Richard Greene spoke on the 
flag. Little Miss Frances Emerson Cole- 
man, daughter of Mrs. John C. Coleman, was 
selected for the honor of unveiling the tablet 
because it was through Mrs. Coleman's ef- 
forts that the remains of the tower were re- 
stored. 

The tablet was presented to the city by 
Miss Mary Van Buren Vanderpoel, president 
of the Women's Auxiliary. "The Star Span- 
gled Banner," was sung, and Hon. J. J. Pal- 
las, the Commissioner of Parks, accepted }i^^^^* 
on behalf of the City. 

Among the societies represented at the 
unveiling were the Mayflower Society, Co- 
lonial Dames, four chapters of the Daugh- 
ters of the American Revolution, the 
Founders and Patriots, Settlers and De- 
fenders, the Sons of the American Revo- 
lution, West End Association, also Barnard 
College and Columbia College students 
and descendants of DeWitt Clinton and 
Henry Rutgers and the Scenic and His- 



toric Preservation Society. The tablet 
committee consisted of Mrs. John Caldwell 
Coleman, Chairman; Mrs. William Brook- 
field, Mrs. George Stephenson Bixby, Mrs. 
Emil L. Boas, Mrs. Richard Henry Greene, 
Mrs. Virgil P. Humason and Mrs. James E. 
Pope. Also Miss Mary Van Buren Vander- 
poel, President, Ex-officio. 

Thanks are due to Hon. John J. Pallas and 
his associates for their interested co-opera- 
tion with this committee. 

Mrs. John Caldwell Coleman, 
Chairman of Tablet Committee. 

June, 1904. 
New York Citv. 




LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



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